Practical: Making the Billing's Block for the Poster

In addition to creating a teaser trailer for our chosen genre, it was necessary for our group to create a promotion film poster which conformed to common conventions. My task in this process was to create the Billings Block and production company logos to be placed in the bottom third of the poster. This post details the steps that I carried out in order to produce these.

Research:

In order to produce an appropriate Billings block for a film poster of our genre, I carried out some research, attached below.



Film Poster for "Smiley", a 2012 Slasher Horror

Film Poster for "Mirrors", a 2008 Mystery Horror


 

Example of Billings Block from "Gravity" Film Poster

 From my Research, I concluded that Billings Blocks are often faded or blended into the poster itself slightly in order to refrain from attracting the audience's attention first. The chosen fonts are often elongated, making the text look stretched out and difficult to read; this is to also prevent drawing the audience's attention whilst still being recognisable. Finally, they are always positioned at the bottom of the poster, often in a faded white font; the use of white will also conform to common conventions of our chosen genre as commonly, the colours red, black and white are used to depict horror and gore.

Creating the Billings Block:

Firstly, I typed out the different names that I wanted to use in a Microsoft Word Document, using the font 'Calibri', as this looked most like the examples investigated. I then centralised the text and made the whole block size 9 to accurately represent common examples. Once this was completed, I then manipulated the size of the job roles, such as 'Producer' or 'Director' so that they were of a smaller size, accentuating the names of the lead stars and conforming to common conventions of Billings Blocks; in order to understand the examples of job roles explored, I looked closely at the 'Saw' film poster, as this film is of a similar genre to our own piece.

This image shows the exported Billings Block .JPEG file

I then copied and imported the text box into a paint document in order to manipulate the text and elongate the font, as shown in my research above. To do this, I simply pulled the text box size downwards to elongate the font. Using the Paint software also enabled me to remove the background of the image to make the implementation onto the film poster much easier. Once this process was completed, I exported the image as a .JPEG ready for use on the film poster.

 Making the 'Featuring' Names:

 I then created titles for the poster which featured the names of the stars featuring in our trailer; this process was carried out in the same manner as I created the Billings Block, explored above. However, after further research into film posters of the horror genre, we discovered that many of the actors which feature in the films are not displayed on the film poster aside from in the Billings Block, particularly as many directors choose to use infamous names to promote the sense of realism in the film. For this reason, we later changed the names to 'From the Directors of...' as this was a much more common convention of horror film posters. 

Creating the Production Company Logos:

Since the logos for the production companies and associations that we used in our trailer rarely change, we decided to use examples that were implemented onto an existing film poster. Due to this argument, I decided to use the logos from the 'Saw' film poster, as the examples used for this type of genre were similar to that of our trailer.

 Firstly, I imported the film poster into paint and cropped the file to just show the logos found at the bottom of the poster. I then cropped this image further to show the 3 companies which I wanted to feature and saved these images as 3 separate .JPEG images.


This image shows the 3 exported .JPEG files for the companies which will feature on our film poster

The following image shows the completed Film Poster with the Billings Block and Company Logos positioned at the bottom:

Evaluation:

Overall, I feel that I created a successful and appropriate Billings Block for our chosen genre and trailer narrative. I feel that I was able to manipulate text and images well in order to produce the task as desired, as well as experimenting with different software in addition to just Photoshop and Final Cut. Once the images exported are implemented into the film poster, I believe that our promotional film poster will be both professional looking and conform to common conventions.

Research: Draft of Movie Poster

Once research was carried out on typical film posters, particularly those of the same genre of our trailer (Slasher Horror), it was imperative that we began drafting our film posters. 

Potential Film Poster:

Attached is the paper draft of the film poster that I designed. In order to coincide with our title and narrative, I used a photograph of the killer standing behind a camera, whereby there is then a reflection of the victim being tied up in the camera lens. Having the killer situated behind the camera implies to the audience that he is the villain, whilst still concealing his identity and creating enigma for the audience. 

The Photograph:

The photo of the killer behind the camera will be taken and edited using Photoshop. Due to the size of the camera being used, the killer's identity will still be concealed, conforming to common representations of the horror genre in terms of the poster and trailer form, but also, it will create enigma for the audience. A photograph of the victim being, for example, gagged will then be shot and edited onto the original photo using Photoshop, where our group will be able to use various blending tools to ensure an authentic look. The photo as a whole when put together is extremely effective in getting the genre across to the audience as, although cameras are not commonly associated with Slasher horrors, the torture image of the victim will tie this in; the look as a whole works very well with our genre and narrative. 

The Golden Rule:

In terms of the position of the various components of this film poster, I attempted to adhere to the Golden Rule by not simply putting the main image in the middle of the poster. For this reason, I positioned the main image of the killer and victim in the top third of the poster; the bottom of the image would then blend into the title, which could be achieved using Photoshop. Due to the size and position of the image, the audience's attention would immediately be taken to the top portion where the photograph is positioned and could create enigma as to what the film is about. From this, the audience's attention is then taken to the title; seeing the title last could mean that they are more likely to remember the name after looking away from the poster. Other film posters which adhere to this rule also include:

Human Centipede II Film Poster - reflection
in the glasses is similar to our idea

     Hostel Part III Film Poster     

      Saw II Film Poster      









Titles:

The film name is predominantly displayed in the centre third of the poster. In replace of the 'E' I have included the YouTube 'Play' logo; this is to coincide with the idea that the villain uploads his torturing videos to the YouTube online video blog. Underneath this, in a smaller font, I have written the movie tagline, which we decided would be 'Smile for the Camera'. We chose this as it is a common phrase used in everyday life when people take photos or videos; in relation to a Slasher Horror, this phrase creates a more sinister effect, as it implies that the killer is enjoying the experience and, in a sense, mocking his victims. 

Billings Block:

All upcoming movie posters feature a Billings Block as these display the names and associates important for the production of the film and thus, need to be recognised. In many cases, the Billings Block is situated at the bottom of the page and hence, I designed ours to be in the bottom third also, conforming to common representations. Below are some examples of film posters containing Billings Blocks.

Mirrors Film Poster

Inception Film Poster

Evaluation:

Overall, I think that the film poster design above is a very innovative and creative design which clearly gets our genre and an idea of the plot across to the audience. The blend of the two photos together, I believe, will emphasise our skill sets by creative and interesting ways of manipulating images using software such as Photoshop. Although some aspects challenge common conventions, the overall idea conforms to common representations of the poster form, particularly for Slasher horror examples.

Poster Deconstruction

In order to gain some ideas for how our poster should look. I decided to deconstruct movie posters within the horror genre. The purpose of a poster is to increase awareness and build hype for the target audience. The poster allows for details of the film to be slowly revealed which makes the audience want more and encourages people to tell others about a new film being released.

The Purge (2013)

- At the top of the poster it reads ‘from the producers of paranormal activity and sinister’ these are two other well-known films and people who have seen these are likely to enjoy this movie as well. Therefore, promoting the film well and enticing more viewers. Being placed in the top left hand corner is a good technique as this is where people naturally read first.
- The simple tagline above the title of the film reads ‘one night a year all crime is legal’ connoting that this is a special occasion similar to Christmas or Easter which happen once a year. This tagline shows that the film challenges the horror genre’s conventions as people are warned about the destruction that is going to be caused on this one night. Therefore, subverting the common convention that the events in horror films are often unpredictable. As the movie subverts common representations it attracts a larger audience as this is unusual and more people will be intrigued to know what the film is about.
- The title, ‘THE PURGE’, connotes danger and killing. It is in san serif and is white to show contrast to the dark background making it clear to see.

• The main image is presumably the main antagonist in the film. He is wearing a mask over his face suggesting that this is within the slasher horror genre. It conforms to the slasher genre having a male as the main antagonist and the use of a mask. The mask creates a sense of mystery and secrecy.
• The mask on the antagonist looks very creepy and the smile makes it seem as though the character is psychotic which links in with the slasher horror genre.  His eyes are not in-line with the man’s eyes making them look smaller. His eyes are also looking directly towards the camera which add to the sinister look and make him seem as though his eyes are narrow with some sort of twisted glee.
• At the bottom of the poster there is a hashtag which is a good way to advertise the film and increase the awareness because it will be trending on social media such as twitter.
• The hashtag says ‘survive the night’ also telling us that there will be lots of death. Providing a hashtag also makes the audience feel involved and people can talk to each other about the f

Romance Deconstruction

Definition

Romance films are romantic love stories that are recorded in visual  media that focus on passion, emotion and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main protagonists and the journey in which they take together.

Conventions of a Romance film

• Normally a good looking and well known actor to play the main male role within the film. An example of this is from the film ‘Charlie St. Cloud’, the main male protagonist is the young male actor Zac Efron, a well known and popular actor amongst the teenage female audience. You can identify the importance of the main protagonist for this genre through the poster, as it has a large close up image of the actor, not only this the poster also includes the name of the actor in large capital letters above the title.
• Romance films are regularly set in large and well known cities with an establishing shot at the beginning to identify where exactly the story is located. This makes the story more relatable and convincing as the idea of an ‘accidental meeting’ is used often throughout the romance genre. An example of this is the ‘Back up plan’, the main two protagonists accidentally meet in a taxi when it suddenly begins to rain. A sudden and unexpected meeting with someone commonly happens within larger and more populated cities.
• Another frequent convention is the props used. In the romance genre there are a few typical props you can expect to see throughout the film, for example you may expect to see some form of gift that will be given to the main character. ‘Love Actually’ regularly does this throughout the film as some of the main characters give flowers to their loved ones. The giving of the gifts is typically associated with the genre as it is the reflection of romance.

Posters

The NoteBook

• The two main protagonists cover the entire poster, their faces are not in the complete centre of the poster. The use of the ‘golden rule’ forces the audience to look around the image and to read the text surrounding the characters.
• The tagline is located at the top of the poster sating “Behind every great love is a great story”, this instantly tells the audience that this will be a romance film as it talks about a “great love”.
• The colours used are commonly seen within romance films as they blues and greens have connotations of a calm and relaxed atmosphere. The colours in the poster are soft and suggest a happy feel to the story line.
• The lighting is bright to show both the characters in full light, this also conveys a happy feel in which the characters are happy together.
• Names of the actors are a unique selling point that attract fans of certain actors, for example Ryan Gosling is a very popular actor who has also been seen within romance films such as ‘Crazy Stupid Love’. Though this film is more recent then The Notebook it would still attract people who enjoy his films.
• The image of the couple shows that they are in love as the image shows both characters very close together being very intermit. Not only this, they have used the prop of a wedding ring which is clearly visible to the audience, this suggests that there will be a happy ending at the end of the film.

Bridget Jones's Diary

• Tag Line states that “All women keep score… only the great ones put it in writing.” introduces a comedic value to the film, not only that but also suggests that she with a couple of people. This also corresponds to the image that is bellow the tag line. There is another small line bellow the title saying “Uncensored. Uninhibited. Unmarried” this shows that it also has a comedy aspect.
• The image shows the main female protagonist in the center of the image with two men behind her, both of these characters only shows half of their faces suggesting that both men are on equal terms.
• The title and the image correspond as the title is Bridget Jones’s Diary, the audience would assume that she is Bridget Jones in the center. She is holding a bright red diary, the colour red has connotations of danger and lust, this could give an insight in to what the character writes within her book. Not only this, in the background there is some watered down text. I assume this would be something she has written within her diary, not only this the text is also in the style of handwriting.
• At the bottom of the poster is a strip of a complete different colour, this attracts the audiences attention and give information about the producers of this film. They include names of previous and very popular films, this would appeal to a wider targeted audience as fans of these films would be more inclined to watch the Bridget Jones’s Diary.
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Film Poster Deconstruction

The Dark Night

• Main protagonist is not in the centre of the poster, use of the ‘golden rule’ forces the audience to look around at the setting/ typography.
• Tagline – “Welcome to a world without rules” through the use of welcome it seems as if the audience is being brought in to the world itself and experience what it is like first hand. It addresses the audience almost directly enticing them to ‘come in’ and watch the film.
• The picture and the tag line are related to each other as you are able to see the chaotic setting and the tagline giving a small insight to what could have happened.
• The popular and well known logo is shown twice on the poster to ensure that the audience recognises the film instantly as Batman, this would quickly appeal to fans of the comics, childhood memories and previous films as they would know the symbol.
• The protagonist is shown in the poster trough a low angle image, this could portray his ‘power’ within the film, not only this it could also be foreshadowing the success of the hero as it places him in a strong position.
• The colour scheme uses mainly dark colours with only the burning building in the background, the red/yellows and whites from the fire suggest action and destruction which is again supported by the dark smoke behind it. Out main protagonist is seen in half lighting and wearing black, though black is the traditional colour of batman it could also portray the idea of the darker side or the mistakes which are made.
• The typography is white therefore standing out in the dark poster and making the important information easily visible from a distance. Not only this, information such as the title and release date are in bold which further accentuates the information.

Charlie St. Cloud

• The main protagonist is shown to take up most of the poster with a close up shot of his face. However below this image shows an almost silhouetted image of two characters standing together on a pier looking out to sea. This helps set the setting in which the film will be taking place.
• Tagline – “Life is for living” could be foreshadowing what will happen within the film as it includes death of family and loss of loved ones (I have seen the film). It could also be interpreted as an inspirational quote in which it informs people not to take anything for granted.
• This is not a series film, therefore does not include a logo such as the previous one. However the poster gives the main actors name “Zac Efron” clearly above the title. By doing this and having a large image of this character fans of the actor would be instantly interested in the film as he is a popular young actor who stared in the ‘high school musical’ films which were very popular with younger ages. The fading in to the lower picture could suggest romance as this effect is commonly seen within this genre, it gives ideas of the ‘hero’ of the film and what to possibly expect.
• The colours are very bright with use of greens and blues at the top, these are very calm colours and suggest little action and a pretty and serene film. The colours on the lower half are warmer and suggest connotations of a happy memory.

Harry Potter

• This is a poster from the last film in the Harry Potter franchise. Use of the ‘golden rule’ forces the viewer to look at the entire poster and not just the centre, this is due to the two main characters faces being on either side of the poster and only the wand down the centre.
•  Tagline – “It all ends” creates suspense and mystery about what is going to happen, it also creates questions and interests within people who have not and do not know about the film as it gives very little information.
•  The image and the words used suggest that there is a battle as both characters are seen to have blood and dirt on their faces, it all ends does not give away the ending and creates anticipation to see who will become the victor.
•  As this is a very well known film with having 7 films in total it does not give a title. This shows how popular the franchise is and how strong/ large the fan base is.
• The image shows the main protagonist and the main antagonist staring directly at one another sharing an equal amount of the poster. This does not give any hints in to who will be successful creating even more tension in to what will happen. Not only this but both character have the exact same lighting not giving any suggestions in what to expect from the film.
•  The colours have connotations of death as there is a mix of blacks and reds with very little light. Only around the centre of the wand is there white surrounding it in a spiral, this suggests magic as the motion of the light colours are ‘unnatural’.

Movie Poster Deconstructions

Teen Drama / Romance

 Crime Drama / Thriller

 Crime Drama / Fantasy Horror

Film Poster Analysis

The Last House on the Left -

Typography:

• Uses an older font and made to look like a stamp.

• Makes the film look older, corresponding with colour scheme, and gives an idea of realism.

Colour Scheme:

• Uses typical horror theme colours: black, white & red.
• Dark colours signify death, fear. Red often represents blood and evil.

Image Choice & Position:

• An old abandoned house, looks derelict, common representation of horror genre. 

• Positioned central on the poster, with black surrounding it. The black background around image represents the unknown and unseen, which is one of the greatest fears for people.

Tag Line:

• Tag line uses personal pronouns, such as ‘You’. 

• Makes viewer feel more involved, and potentially targeted, again idea of realism.

 Genre & Audience:

• Clearly horror, potentially gore, serial killers (supported by tag line). 

• Aimed at young adults, or people interested in gore and horror. – obvious by imaging and colour scheme, e.g. not bright and colourful.

The Frost Witch

Typography:

• Text is very delicate and feminine, which suggests innocence and naiveté.  

• The font is a Serif font, common in older articles and stories, which corresponds to the title and image, suggesting an older fantasy story.

Colour Scheme:

• Neutral colour (pale green) of title and text suggests nature and earth, perhaps representing elements, commonly associated with magic and witchcraft.

• This contradicts the title of the film, as the term ‘Witch’ is typically associated with dark and evil. 

• The white and light colours used on the image represent purity and innocence.

Image Choice & Position:

• The image uses the whole area of the poster. 

• Eye is immediately drawn to the eyes of the girl, which are central on the image. The vibrant blue also stands out against the pale white colours of the figure, in attempt to catch the viewers eye. 

• Attractive and innocent looking youthful girl, suggests goodness and purity. This contradicts the title, with the common convention of witch being evil, ugly and often secluded. 

• The smirk on the character potentially suggests manipulation and gives an indication to her personality (manipulative, sneaky).

 Genre & Audience:

• Suggests a family friendly fantasy film, potentially more appealing to children. 

• Could be deceptive, aiming at young adults due to horror scenes, e.g. Snow White and the Huntsman.

 Iron Man 3

Typography:

• Title of film has a 3D effect, corresponding with the futuristic feel (e.g. flying suits & human regrowth and repair). 

• The text along the top displaying names is minimalistic and simple in order to refrain from drawing the eye from the advertising image.

Colour Scheme:

• Uses sepia colouring, with oranges and yellows along with darker blacks and blues. This shows the contrast between evil and good and the hero and the villain. 

• The red colouring of the title continues with the iconic Iron Man colours from previous films.

Image Choice & Position:

• The combination of different images provides proof that all of the elements in a ‘good’ action/superhero movie are included: a love interest, potential ‘damsel in distress’, action fight scenes, a villain and a strong ‘tall, dark and handsome’ main protagonist. 

• The main image is centered, drawing most of the attention, however there are other images in all corners, adhering to the golden rule and piquing the viewer’s interest.  

• The female protagonist’s face is partially hidden to conceal the ‘big reveal’, which corresponds with the film where she is given a drug which causes a transition.

Genre & Audience:

• Action film aimed at young adults, particularly males for the violence and action scenes. 

• Since film is franchise, aimed at anyone who enjoyed the previous films.